SANParks' head of the scientific unit, Danie Pienaar, stresses a point during a media briefing on the escape of lions from the Kruger National Park. Picture: ANA
All the lions that escaped from the Kguger National Park on Sunday have been found and shot dead.
It was earlier reported that there were four lions missing but officials have since rectified this and said tracks show that there were only three missing.
Park officials speculated that the lions may have been driven out of the park due to population pressure.
SANParks officials launched a search and the three lions were discovered on a farm in Mpumalanga on Thursday.
eNCA reports that a farmer encountered them on his farm eating one of his cows.
He shot and killed one, and injured another.
“A decision was made to put down the injured lion as well as the third lion,” said SANParks spokesperson Janine Raftopoulos.
Head of biodiversity at Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) Abe Sibiya thanked SANParks, farm owners and the surrounding community for the support and alerts in finding the animals.
This is not the first time lions have broken out of the park. In May this year, four lions went missing, but were found days later and returned to the park.
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